FORT WORTH, Texas — Arizona stumbled in its final road trip of the season and fell to the TCU Horned Frogs 49-28 at Amon G. Carter Stadium on Saturday.
Arizona’s setback knocks the Wildcats out of bowl contention for the sixth time in seven years.
Here are notable storylines, statistics and quotes from Arizona’s latest loss as the Wildcats shift their attention to the season finale in Tucson:
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, shown during the first half against TCU on Nov. 23, threw twice as many interceptions in 2024 as he did in ‘23.
Different issues, same road struggles
Arizona completed its road schedule with a 1-4 record, tying its road win total from the 2021 season, the year the Wildcats finished with a 1-11 overall record.
Arizona was outscored 187-89 on the road this season after outscoring its opponents 222-154 on the road last season.
For the second time this season, Arizona won the turnover battle on the road, edging TCU 2-1 with an interception by safety Jack Luttrell and a scoop-and-score touchdown by defensive end Sterling Lane II with a minute left in the game. Arizona’s only turnover was quarterback Noah Fifita’s interception on the first play from scrimmage, which set up TCU for a five-play touchdown drive.
The Wildcats had five takeaways on the road this season, while their opponents had eight.
However, coughing up the football wasn’t the major issue for Arizona against TCU.
Arizona’s offense failed to reach TCU territory on the first three drives, while the defense allowed the Horned Frogs to score two touchdowns and put the Wildcats behind 14-0. Arizona forced two three-and-out drives in the first and second quarters and the Wildcats cut the deficit 14-13 following wide receiver Chris Hunter’s acrobatic, toe-tapping touchdown and a pair of field goals by kicker and Dallas-area native Tyler Loop.
“I thought it was great how the team battled back there,” said Arizona head coach Brent Brennan.
On TCU’s final offensive possession of the first half, the Horned Frogs converted on two third-down plays, including a third-and-18, then gained 24 yards on a third-and-25 to set up Savion Williams for a 20-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-short.
Arizona defensive back Tacario Davis (1) lines up against TCU Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.
“It comes to those little plays,” said safety Dalton Johnson, who had a career-high 15 tackles. “Everyone wants to talk about the touchdown, but what about that third down? We just gotta finish drives.”
Williams had another fourth-and-short conversion on TCU’s opening drive of the second half to extend the scoring drive and the Horned Frogs grabbed a 28-13 lead and never looked back.
“Those are momentum plays,” Brennan said. “That one play, I think we wished (that) we attacked the football more. All of those are hard lessons to learn. We allowed drives to get extended and we didn’t get off the field. We knew they were getting the ball coming out of half, so we would’ve felt a lot better if it was 14-13 going into halftime. But I think our defense played their tails off, it just wasn’t enough, it wasn’t good enough. In all three phases, it wasn’t good enough.”
Brennan said Arizona’s struggles on the road this season are “something we have to look at as a staff.”
“As a head coach and coaching staff, we’re constantly evaluating every part of the program every step of the way,” said the Arizona coach. “That’s something we’ll continue to do as we come down to the last home stretch of the season.”
Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan lines up during the first half of a game against TCU Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas.
T-Mac etches name in UA history book
With Arizona no longer contending for a bowl game, the Wildcats will get one more game with Arizona star wide receiver and projected first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan, who set the all-time receiving yards record on Saturday.
McMillan passed current Arizona wide receivers coach Bobby Wade for the career record and now has 3,355 yards, along with 207 receptions and 25 touchdowns. McMillan, who had nine catches for 115 yards against TCU, set the record in the fourth quarter on Saturday. Fifita said McMillan “deserves it more than anybody.”
“God has blessed me with a bunch of opportunities, especially this opportunity, being able to put my name in the record books,” McMillan said. “At the end of the day, it’s a team sport.”
Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) lines up with teammate Jeremiah Patterson (2) during the first half against TCU Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas.
Passing Wade for the all-time receiving record has “been the plan since Day 1 when he stepped into the building,” McMillan said.
“His idea and vision for me was to break his record,” he added. “We were able to do that tonight. It’s been a blessing to be under his wing and for him to show me the ropes about the game.”
McMillan signed with Arizona’s stacked 2022 recruiting class, a batch of players that were the catalyst to turning around the UA football program under former head coach Jedd Fisch. McMillan signed with the Wildcats as Arizona’s highest-rated recruit in the modern recruiting era. He came to Arizona with high expectations and met them — if not, exceeded them.
“T-Mac has been such a great player here for so many years, and lots of people have a hand in his process and development, but I think Bobby has, too,” Brennan said. “Bobby is an important part of that. They have a great relationship. Watching him play is really, really special.
“It’s not every day that a player like that comes around. ... He’s an incredibly hard worker, he’s a high-level competitor and that shows up every week. The beauty of that, is you have a star player and the season isn’t going the way he wants it to go, but that’s not changing how he approaches the work, that’s not changing how he competes on game day.”
Even though McMillan is a sure-fire draft choice and the Wildcats aren’t bowling, he said he’s going to play in Arizona’s finale on Saturday. McMillan said his career at Arizona has “been a blessing.”
“Despite the season not going the way we planned it to go, shoot, I don’t regret any decision I made,” McMillan said. “Whether it’s coming to Arizona out of high school when they went 1-11, I don’t regret it. Coming back to Tucson when Coach Fisch left, I don’t regret it. I’m here because I’m supposed to be here.”
Arizona head coach Brent Brennan yells during the first half against TCU on Nov. 23, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas.
Unfulfilled expectations
The Wildcats entered the season ranked for the first time since 2015 and were widely considered a top-tier team entering the Big 12. It was conceivable for the Wildcats to contend for a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff.
“Overcoming the (plethora of) injuries” and missing key players — including running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who hasn’t played since the season opener due to eligibility concerns — has hindered the Wildcats this season. Arizona added another injury with left tackle Jonah Savaiinaea, who limped off the field on Saturday, but Brennan said, “I don’t know the extent of it yet.”
Considering the expectations for Arizona entering the season, “everyone is disappointed,” said Brennan, who joined Fisch and Kevin Sumlin as recent head coaches to not lead the Wildcats to a bowl game in their first season.
“I would be lying if I said it wasn’t difficult,” said Fifita. “It’s a difficult year with the expectations that we had as a team. Just trying to process it, trying to learn. A lot of things we can learn from.”
Brennan said the season has been “challenging on every level.”
“I love these players,” he added. “I think they’re amazing and they come to work every day. They don’t complain, they just continue to bust their tails for each other. I think that’s really special. Now we have a one-week season.”
By the numbers
23: Missed tackles by Arizona, tying the season-worst, according to Pro Football Focus. The Wildcats also had 23 missed tackles against UCF.
6: Rushing touchdowns scored by TCU, which is the most allowed by Arizona’s defense since the Oregon game in 2022.
51: Tight end Sam Olson hauled in a 51-yard catch on Saturday, the longest of his career.
They said it
McMillan, on Arizona wide receiver Chris Hunter, who caught Arizona’s only two touchdowns on Saturday: “Sky’s the limit for the kid. ... He’s going to be an up-and-coming receiver, for sure. I wish him nothing but the best. We’ll see what happens.”
Brennan, on Hunter: “I’m just excited about the development of him,” Brennan said of Hunter. “He’s making great progress. ... It’s exciting to see him play with confidence and make the plays he’s able to make.”
Brennan, on the direction of the UA football program: “We’re building a championship football program and it takes time to do it the right way. We’re going to do it the right way. We’re going to recruit our asses off and bring good football players, good people into this program and we’re going to do it the right way. I can’t wait.”
Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea (71) hoists the cup after the Wildcats won the 97th Territorial Cup 59-23 road win over rival ASU on Nov. 25, 2023, in Tempe.
Looking ahead
With Arizona out of bowl contention, the upcoming rivalry game against Arizona State in Tucson is the last game of the season for the Wildcats. No. 14-ranked ASU, following the Sun Devils’ win over BYU on Saturday, is one victory away from securing a spot in the Big 12 championship and potentially the College Football Playoff.
“That’s our bowl game, that’s our Super Bowl,” Fifita said. “Being able to beat them at our home, send our seniors off the right way and keep the Territorial Cup in Tucson, that’s the end all, be all for us.”
Added Johnson: “It’s been a ride, but we have ‘scummy’ week next week, so we’re going to focus on keeping this team together and not letting guys wander off and think the season is over, because it’s not.
“It’s a very important week next week and that’s all we’re focused on, the ‘scummies.’ “
